By Rabbi Alicia Magal
Sedona News – Shalom and greetings from the Rabbi, Board of Directors, and congregation of the Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley.
All the services, classes, and programs are listed on the synagogue website.
Come join us either in person or online. See jcsvv.org for instructions to register for in-person services or online links.
On Friday, June 10, a Friday evening service, led by Rabbi Alicia Magal, begins at 5:30 pm both in person and on Zoom, and livestreamed for members and their invitees. Congregants participate by lighting candles, doing a reading, or having an Aliyah for the Torah service. Verses from the Torah portion will be chanted: Naso (Numbers 4:21-7:89), with a description of the Tabernacle duties of the Levite families. It includes the priestly blessing: May the Lord bless and protect you, May the Lord shine God’s face upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift His countenance to you and grant you peace. Blessings for those who are ill and a Mazal Tov for those celebrating a birthday or anniversary will be offered. Kaddish, the Mourner’s prayer, will be recited in memory of those who passed away either recently or at this time in past years. Shabbat offers a time out from work and worry, an opportunity to be grateful for our lives and the bounty with which we are blessed.
Wednesday morning minyan begins at 8:30 a.m. on June 15 on zoom. Join the group to offer healing prayers, and to support those saying the mourner’s prayer, Kaddish, for a loved one who has passed away. Every person counts and is needed!
On Wednesday at 4:00 pm Rosalie Malter and Rabbi Magal lead a class on Jewish meditation on Zoom. Each session focuses on a different tool or aspect of Jewish meditation practices.
On Thursday, June 16, at 4:00 pm, Torah study, led by Rabbi Magal, will be held on Zoom. The Torah portion for that week is Behaalotecha(Numbers 8:1 – 12:16), dealing with the lighting of the seven-branched Menorah by Aaron, the sanctification of the Levites for their service in the Tabernacle. The observance of the second annual Passover, as well as acts of opposition to Moses. The people complained that they wanted meat in addition to the manna, and Moses’sister Miriam criticized him and was punished with tzara’at (a white scaly affliction). Moses asks for God to heal his sister. This has formed the basis of healing blessings we offer today.
The Social Action Committee is continuing to collect food for the local Sedona food pantry. Please drop of cans or boxes of non-perishable foods in the bin outside the lower level parking lot entrance to the synagogue.
The Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley, located at 100 Meadow Lark Drive off Route 179 in Sedona, is a welcoming, egalitarian, inclusive congregation dedicated to building a link from the past to the future by providing religious, educational, social and cultural experiences. Messages to the office telephone at 928 204-1286 will be answered during the week. Updated information is available on the synagogue website – www.jcsvv.org.